6

.6

Compared with the average of books of travel, this volume is readable, though not brilliant. One learns little from it; but it is entertaining. The author's views and judgments are not always trustworthy; but, as a reporter of surface life in Europe, he has done well.

MINOR BOOK NOTICES.

is to see the Old World than it is to visit only favorably of our country: with hotel-clerks his interviews in an off-hand, journalistic a portion of your own country." In view of he had exceptional good fortune. At a Bos- manner. What he tells of Oscar de Lafaythe expenses to be incurred in “ seeing" the ton hotel, he was impressed by the cordiality ette, grandson of America's noble friend, is Old World, this conclusion seems hardly war- of the clerk in the office, who, seeing his name especially interesting. The present Marquis ranted. Our Centennial the author distin- on the register, immediately addressel him as is an earnest republican, and inherits his anguishes from the Expositions of England, Mr. Bevan;' and after that he was as inti- cestor's affection for the United States. France, and Austria, pronouncing it "not the mate with me as if he had known all my reaffair of one people only." The grounds of lations; and so with all the other hotel-clerks this distinction we are unable to see; each of I met in America.'" Tempora mutantur. the Expositions mentioned was practically in- Mr. Bevan vehemently denied that the English ternational. The Pennsylvania iron-interest people were against the North in the late war. crops out occasionally in sentiments like this: If this be true, it illustrates how small a share "All late experience proves that what we the English people have in their own governcall free trade helps foreign capitalists alone." ment. At Manchester and Rochdale, Mr. Mr. Forney is an enterprising and successful Forney met John Bright and his brother journalist; but as a reasoner he blunders. Jacob, the latter resembling in person Col. "You have an explanation," he says, "of the Thomas A. Scott, the famous railroad-man. hostility at Liverpool to the North during our Jacob Bright he saw presiding at a Woman's civil war, when you are reminded that from Rights meeting, a fact of interest in conthis port, in 1760, one-quarter of its vessels nection with his greater brother's disapproval were engaged in the slave-trade." Consider- of that measure of reform." Its friends in ing the radical change that has taken place in this country will be glad to know that "Jacob English sentiment touching slavery and the is tall, gray, and graceful in manner, alike of slave-trade, it is quite as reasonable to refer talk and walk," though grayness of manner this "hostility" to the colonial measures of is something we are not familiar with. One letter is devoted to an account of the growth of Centennial sentiment in England. This sentiment was feeble at first, but, fostered by Mr. Forney's skilful diplomacy, it became lusty and promising. Charles Sumner, the author tells us, predicted that England would not participate in the celebration of the centenary of our independence.

James I.

66

66

--

66

66

From Liverpool the author circulated to many points of interest in England and the Continent, and makes of his experience and observations a rapid but pleasant narrative. At Stratford-on-Avon he received the gratifying assurance from a resident that, "Here you are in Stratford, and you will find Shakspeare waiting for you. He has a strong, The letters from the Continent are quite viwarm side for you Americans." The soil of vacious and gossipy; giving us news from that hallowed spot must have preservative Lyons, Nice, Monaco, Genoa, Brussels, and properties unknown in this country, if Shak- other cities. In the account of American artspeare's side is "warm" after some centuries ists in Rome, Mr. Yedder is mentioned with of sepulture. Landing at Boulogne, Mr. high praise. We presume Mr. Vedder is Forney is moved to exclaim alliteratively meant. Mr. Forney's testimony as to the hoEngland, robust, ruddy, and self-assuring, tels is that we are far ahead of the EuropeFrance, prim, peculiar, and opinionated." ans." The chapter on the Sale of American It would be difficult to find three adjectives Products Abroad " may be read in this country less truly descriptive of France. In Paris he with pardonable pride, though the newspaper had a good time, and saw every thing, espe- flavor is offensively strong in the stupendous cially the Centennial, in couleur de rose. One" puff" of a certain scale-manufacturing firm. of the most notable events in his experience Sportsmen and lovers of dogs will find the in the French capital was his encounter, one evening, with "a woman with a sweet face, in exquisite dress." As she could speak only French, and he only English, their conversation-though there was a good deal" of it, - is not reported. His expenses in Paris, where he spent twelve days, were less than fifteen dollars per week. Returning to England, he visited Hampton Court, Holland House, St. Albans, and other places of interest. An effort is now in progress to restore the ancient Abbey of St. Albans, which dates back to the reign of Constantine. One of his privileges in London was listening to Rev. L. C. Bevan's lecture

he says

What I Saw and Heard in America." So delighted was he with the speaker's sentiments, that at the close of the lecture he

chapter on the canine exhibition full of enter-
tainment. Writing of " slang," the author
says that nearly all American catch-words are
derived from England. An extract on this
subject, if not refined, may be amusing:

- In "The Automaton Ear and Other Stories," the author, Florence McLandburgh, pursues a path rarely trodden by modern writers of fiction. She has strong, though undisciplined, imaginative power, which, under due control, would prove an efficient agent; but it is now too strong for harmonious action. The conception of the first story is so fanciful as to be almost absurd, and its effect is sombre and unpleasant. "The Paths of the Sea" is far better, because more simple, and naturally pathetic. Reinhart, the German," is also too fanciful. The style is refined, but wordy and intense. Some errors disfigure it. as the use, in the second line of the book, of "will" instead of "shall; "for something in her heart told her that it could have been no different." There are evidences of power in the book; but it lacks the fresh air of Nature, and too often suggests the gloomy church-vaults where the hero of the opening story made his experiments. [Jansen, McClurg, & Co.; Lee & Shepard.]

Harper's School Geography" illustrates a novel and practical plan. It comprises two parts, physical and political geography, each with its special maps, exercises, and descriptions. The table of contents covers a very wide field, and a glance at its particulars promises The political department is specially valuable in the presentation of facts as to the resources and industries of different countries as connected with their climates, mineral wealth, &c. The definitions which precede the lessons are clear and full, the questions are judicious and pertinent, and the maps are excellent specimens of art. have never seen a geography which seems so & Brothers; Lockwood, Brooks, & Co.] genuinely instructive as does this. [Harper

shows what a vast amount of information it

We

"The Hem of His Garment " is the title of a dozen sermons by Rev. Frank Sewall, President of Urbana University. In the first, parable being ingeniously paralleled by human we are told how to begin a religious life, the experience in attaining contact with God. the suggestions of the text are skilfully hanThe spirit of the discourse is very devout, and dled.

“Beastly' and 'nasty' are constantly used, even by elegant ladies, in their daily discourse. Nasty' is employed to indicate ill-tempered and cross-grained, while beastly' is more familiarly applied to bad weather. parts in England. You hear on all sides of The word awful' is made to perform many an awful fine woman;'‘I am awful sorry;' it was awfully grand.' . . . You are aston- idence" is founded on Christ's curing of the ished frequently, in conversation with the best blind. In it, the spiritual process of restoring informed men, to hear the word rot' adopted sight is explained, and the effects of a religious in explanation of any thing bad, disagreeable, or useless: Oh, that is rot!""

Mr. Forney met a good many eminent men publicly thanked him. Mr. Bevan reported in England and on the Continent, and reports

66

The True Character of Christian Ev

life are forcibly set forth. All the sermons are hortatory rather than argumentative, though, at need, the author reasons well. His style would be improved by the elimination of many adjectives. [J. B. Lippincott & Co.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

6

-"G. C.," Washington, D. C., makes an appeal in behalf of the classics: —

64

Spare the classics! Virgil wrote (Æneis, Lib. 2, 1. 724), Non passibus æquis,' not haud passibus æquis,' as given in the 'Dictionary of Quotations,' and by Webster and Worcester, and perhaps others.

"Again, spare the classics! In 'Thoughts on the late Transactions respecting Falkland's Islands, 1771,' Dr. Johnson, in a fine frenzy,' wrote that glowing page on Junius, in which he said: 'It is not by his liveliness of imagery, his pungency of periods, or his fertility of allusion, that he detains the cits of London, and the boors of Middlesex.' See Durell's edition of Johnson, in twelve volumes, published in New York in 1811. In an edition in two volumes, published in 1844, by Blake, in New York, the word 'cits' is printed city,' thus marring the beauty and making it a flatter sentence than Dr. Johnson ever wrote.

"Will the Literary World help to keep the word answer from being displaced by the pompous respond and response, which are not in the Bible, nor in Shakspeare? Is it not better to say, the nurse answered the child's question,' than the nurse responded to the interrogatory that the child propounded,' as a Don Pomposo would be apt to say? The language abounds in words of Greek and Latin origin that are little used. When, therefore, we have so good an English word as answer, why should every Hon. John Smith respond?

The Literary World readily interposes its "Adel" returns to the charge: "The feeble authority to prevent the desuetude of Literary World does not yet seem to under- that good word answer. Response cannot stand Adel's' question, or will not under-rightfully take its place, because its meaning stand it. The World's own expression, the is slightly different. Webster gives two forms speaker can name no individual,' contains the of the verb ": one transitive, one "response," very error, if it be one, that Adel' asks intransitive; the latter in the sense of answer, about. Does not the World mean that the he says, is rare. Soule, in his "English Synspeaker cannot name any individual? How onymes," gives "rejoinder" and " reply " as can it name no individual? Such expressions synonymes of " answer," - which is not correjoinder are very common, but are they correct, or to rect, as a " is an answer to a " is be encouraged in writing or speech? We "reply." The etymology of "answer " clip the following from a recent paper: undetermined, though the word is usually "In the words of Hon. J. E. Sanford, traced to the Anglo-Saxon and-swarian. In President of the Republican Convention, Gothic it had the force of the Latin contra. "The issue of immediate and radical reform confronts us. We cannot evade it. We can afford to make no mistakes, and Heaven forbid that we present to the country merely a choice of evils.""

"The writer evidently intended to say: We cannot afford to make mistakes,' but he in reality speaks of what we can afford to do."

We must beg leave to dissent from our

66

—“C. A. M.,” Fitchburg, sends the following queries:

Can any one give information as to the authorship of

And wait upon her."

"Yet, though thus respected,

By and by

Ye do lie,

Poor girls, neglected."

Also, What shall be the end of these things?' beginning,

"Dunmore" informs us that the poem number, was written by T. B. Aldrich.“ C.," inquired about by C. E. B.," in the May Brunswick, Me., gives the title of the poem, "The Face against the Pane." • Dunmore " asks "where the whole of the poem entitled The Devil's Walk,' by Coleridge, [can be found." Our correspondent undoubtedly refers to "The Devil's Thoughts," which is included in all complete editions of Coleridge's poems.

the wife of the present Bishop of Derry. He is well known in England. She has edited the Sunday Book of Poetry in the Golden Treasury Series. She has also published several volumes of religious poems. I noticed a criticism on the improper use of the word moiety. Now, to be sure, in the literal signification, the term means a half, but it seems to me not improper to use it, as Shakspeare, in the Merchant of Venice,' for any portion, even very small."

Our correspondent is mistaken as to such a use of the word by Shakspeare. Moiety" occurs in the following connection : —

replies, but which I should like very much to To explain the origin of the lines quoted by
have a reply to, if your space will allow. It your correspondent, I will add, that Willis
is the name of a poet of New York city, who was a favorite object of satire for the witlings
died very young some years ago, but whose of the press, on account of his alleged foppery
works were afterwards edited by William in dress and manners, and of grave reproof
Winter, and published, I think, by J. R. Os- from more serious writers for the misdirection
good & Co. One of his poems has the title, of his fine talents to frivolous subjects. The
I think, of The Jolly Old Pedagogue,' and first of these charges he indignantly denied,
another is On a Glass of Beer.' My mem- and to the other he gave the excuse that al-
ory is unfortunately at sea as to his name, and though his organ was fitted to play psalms, he
you can recollect it from these very slight was compelled to grind it to worldly tunes for
data, which is all I remember, you will much a livelihood. Mr. Willis died Jan. 20, 1867,
oblige."
on his sixty-first birth-day.
CAMBRIDGE, May, 1876.

if

The poet referred to was, no doubt, the late George Arnold, a brilliant litterateur of the Bohemian school. He was a leading spirit in the brotherhood of young writers who haunted "Pfaff's," and gave an evanescent brilliancy to Clapp's Saturday Press, and other papers of its class. Several members of the jolly company have passed away, none more lamented than Arnold.

To the Editor o the Literary World:

I do not know the author of the doggrel
lines quoted by "G. S." in the May number
of the World, but the subject was doubtless
Nathaniel P. Willis, a popular writer of
prose and poetry thirty to forty years ago, but
whose writings are little known to the present
generation of readers. Willis was the author
of a poem called “Lady Jane," which is de-
scribed by himself, in an advertisement to a
a poem of two cantos, of
one hundred stanzas each, in the verse of Don
Juan, and embodying descriptions of one or
two very celebrated ladies, and their houses,
parties, mode of life, &c., in London,
literally true to the life than could be other
wise given, even through the medium of a
prose description."

new edition, as

66

more

With your permission I will quote from the poem, to show its style of execution, a single stanza, forming part of a pen-portrait of the

Hon. Mrs. Norton:
:-

"She had a low, sweet brow, with fringed lakes
Of an unfathomed darkness couched below;
And parted on that brow in jetty flakes
The raven hair swept back with wavy flow,
Rounding a head of such a shape as makes

The old Greek marble with the goddess glow.
Her nostril's breaching arch might threaten storm-
But love lay in her lips, all hushed and warm.”

66

MINOR BOOK NOTICES.

A. H. G.

- Rev. Edward Abbott has compiled a very interesting and useful little volume, called Revolutionary Times," a series of sketches of colonial life a century ago. One gets from it a clear idea of how our ancestors lived, and can profitably contrast their ways with our ways, and decide which life was most enviable. For our part, we cannot but regret the simplicity and genuineness that distinguished society and the domestic state in those bygone years, when the act of living seemed to have been more immediately concerned with the sensibilities, less a matter of pure intellect than it is to-day. Then, the homely qualities of humanity were in healthy exercise; to-day, rivalry and ostentation make too severe demands on our energies. Mr. Abbott's book shows wide research and careful selection, though it is not wholly free from errors. He enumerates the large towns of the colonies a hundred years ago, naming, after Philadelphia, New York, and Boston, Portsmouth, N. H., Providence, R. I., Hartford, Conn., and, in a third rank, Falmouth, Me., Cambridge and Plymouth, Mass., and others. Now, in 1772, Ipswich was second only to Boston among the towns of Massachusetts. Professional incomes were not as large a hundred years ago as they are to-day. In North Carolina, the legal fee for making a deed was only one dollar; now the lawyer demands $10 to $20. There is a mass of curious information in this little volume, of which we can give not even a hint. The author says in a note that the title "Brother Jonathan originated in Washington's freJonathan says," Governor Trumbull, of Conquent remark, "Let us hear what Brother necticut, being his intimate friend and trusted adviser. [Roberts Brothers.]

Swing's style in the second series of Truths We note a marked improvement of Prof. for To-day." He writes now with admirable clearness and force, which would please, even unallied with strong and wholesome thought. and sincere. They treat mainly of Christ, But the spirit of these sermons is very sweet holding him up in a light which must illuminate the darkest mind, and revealing him with a vividness which we have hardly seen equalled. The first sermon gives the key to most of the discourses: they urge the reality of Christ, show how far nearer to the domain of fact he stands than did any of the heathen deities. Prof. Swing affirms that there is no denial anywhere, from the earliest Christian to the last, that Jesus Christ lived and did almost

46

-

such as recorded in the Gospel.” This state- history are enjoyed for their clear character- Flesh and Spirit." It belongs to a low ment will not be universally accepted; but it ization and luminous historic picture-painting, grade of fiction; its personages are roughs, is measurably true. The author proceeds to and for what is common to all his work swindlers, and murderers, and its plot is a examine in a very interesting manner the great thoughts buoyed on a sea of beauty, complicated tangle of crimes. Compared with quality of the Christ-idea; having briefly re- more than for the prolific interplay of feelings the novel just mentioned, which is really viewed the evidence, he rests in this conclu- and the deep entanglements of passion meritorious, -it is very inferior. [E. J. sion: "Here is the only incarnation within inextricable but by death and the breadth Hale & Son.] the realm of evidence, and here the quality of of seemingly free movement, which make the the being is such that reason may forgive us, tragedies wrought by Shakspeare out of leg- -In his preface to the "Annual Record of and faith commend us, if we say, Truly, this end a glowing epitome of the fallible and pa- Scientific Discovery," Prof. Baird, the editor, was the Son of God."" The sermons on thetic in human nature, a poetic abstract of shows how difficult it is to please every body, "Christian Heroism," and "Youth; Its Duties the tragic liabilities of man." Let us hope and conduct his publication in accordance and Privileges," are full of wisdom, and the that his verse may be terser. The opening with conflicting counsels. He has performed volume, as a whole, is cheering and instructive. scene of the drama exhibits two or three his task admirably thus far, and we feel sure, [Jansen, McClurg, & Co.; Lee & Shepard.] wounded soldiers and a farmer or two on the if left to his own devices, will continue to give banks of the Hudson, awaiting the crossing satisfaction. The new volume is weighty with Prof. Duffet, author of the successful of Washington. The soldiers praise their fresh scientific information of general interest, "French Method," has prepared a little vol- favorite officers, one reporting of Arnold, at - the chapters on Meteorology, General PhysExtracts from French Literature" Behmus's Heights, that, "like the wind, he ics, and General Natural History being very to accompany that work. His selections are was everywhere at once, and wherever he full. The "Record" is one of the most accuhappy, including specimens of various kinds of came, he blew into us his own heat." He rate and useful scientific publications of the day. composition, which represent the best authors must have been a sirocco, being so calorific. [Harper & Brothers; Lockwood, Brooks, & of France. Among these latter are La Roche-Scene II. introduces Sir Henry Clinton in Co.] foucauld, Molière, La Fontaine, Mad. de Sé- colloquy with Colonel Robinson. He exults vigné, Bossuet, Fénelon, Bernardin de Saint in the depression of the cause of indepenPierre, Mirabeau, Voltaire, and a hundred dence, and says that others. The extracts are delightful reading. An epigram by Scarron, husband of Mad. Maintenon, is worth translating, though we have not the skill or time to turn it into rhymed verse: —

ume of

66

"TIME DESTROYS ALL THINGS.
"Proud monuments of human pride,
The tombs, the pyramids, whose noble strength
Shows how by skill and persevering toil
The hand of Art e'en Nature vanquisheth,
'Neath Time's effacing touch you pined away,
Or left but meagre vestiges behind.

There is no cement that Time cannot solve;
If your strong marbles have its power felt,
Should I complain because my wretched coat,
Now worn two years, at elbows should give out?"

[Wilson, Hinkle, & Co.]

"Discord, twin-brother to defeat, now lifts
Within the Congress walls her husky voice "

Discord seems to have been of the epicene
gender. The conversation between Clinton
and two officers contains less poetry than good
sense, and the general praise of Washington
seems odd in the confabulation of British offi-
There are some good lines in it, like
this: Colonel Robinson says of Arnold-the
complot then pending: -

cers.

"And the cord,

Wherewith ambitiously he swung himself
Aloft o'er revolution's dark abyss,
Has rotted in his hand; and now he'd leap
Th' audacious backward leap of desperation."

The French definition of Sans-Souci (qui n'engendre pas de chagrin) is hardly realized in the first volume of the series which bears that name, for the reader is bored in places. The book is a compilation from the "Life of Haydon," the painter, recently published in England. Its contents are mainly anecdotes of the artist, who was not, per se, a very interesting person. He was jolly, however, and had many genial friends besides a host of solicitous creditors. One-fourth of the matter in the book, we should say, is well worth reading, though judicious persons would prefer the complete biography, which W. F. Gill & Co. will shortly publish. R. H. Stoddard, the champion American preface-writer, has borrowed enough from the biography to fill a few pages, and appended to it a thrilling acArnold's soliloquy, in anticipation of the crime count of his sight of one of Haydon's pict"A New Godiva," by Stanley Hope, is he is about to perpetrate, is not without force, ures in his early life. The letters quoted a very sensational novel, and, as its title im- though too ejaculatory. Mrs. Arnold is rep-are instructive, in so far as they show what plies, its central incident is hardly less than resented as descanting to her husband on the inveterate and shameless gossips were the shocking. We do not envy the novelist who advantages of being on the other side, an literary men and women of Haydon's time. can coolly sacrifice the idea of womanly purity office which there is no historical warrant for The volume shows how easy is book-making to the exigencies of his plot, under any cir- assigning to her. The author puts a French in these days: a pair of scissors, a paste-pot, cumstances; but how shall we characterize phrase into her mouth which does not be- and a winning way with publishers, these are such an act when employed to illustrate the long there: " What hast thou?" instead of the only essentials. The volume is pretty, and depth and strength of womanly love? Sir" What's the matter with you?" Smith is contains portraits of Haydon, Wilkie, Keats, Arthur Deverell marries a girl of apparently represented as a patriot, duped by Arnold and Wordsworth. [Scribner, Armstrong, & humble origin; by the frauds of his steward and André, which is a new view of his case. Co.] and a rascally lawyer, he is suddenly reduced The interview between Arnold and André is to abject poverty, and falls ill. His noble briefly described, as is the capture of the wife secretly sits as a model, thus earning a latter. Arnold's flight is very tamely told. scant subsistence for her husband. The latter The last scene is perhaps the most impressive grows rapidly worse; but the physician says a in the drama, Washington signing the deathsojourn in the Isle of Wight might save his warrant of André, and his generals in attendlife. This would cost twenty pounds: how ance, touched by the tears in their great can this sum be obtained? Herbert, an artist, leader's eyes, and commenting gravely on the tempts the wife to sit for Godiva; after a long solemn act. This drama is in no respect a struggle, she consents. In the Isle of Wight, brilliant composition, but it has merit enough, Sir Arthur regains his health, and, by a stroke in connection with the interest of its theme, of unexpected good fortune, is placed in easy to make it reasonably attractive. [Lee & circumstances. At his club he hears the story Shepard.] of the picture of Godiva from the lips of the lawyer who had helped to ruin him. Overwhelming his wife with reproaches, he flees to Australia. Some years later he returns to England, and a reconciliation is effected. The story is very spirited and absorbing; but its cardinal event is abhorrent. [J. B. Lippincott & Co.]

- The Centennial Edition of Whittier's complete poetical works is the pioneer in a poetical series to be issued by Messrs. Osgood & Co. It is an octavo volume, in paper covers, and contains many illustrations. Editions of Longfellow's and Tennyson's poems, in like style, will follow it. The low price of these books will commend them; and practically, as they contain the poets' complete works, they are as valuable as more expensive

- A new edition of Mr. George H. Calvert's historical drama, “ Arnold and André," has been issued in neat guise. A preface pre-editions. cedes it, an extract from which illustrates the author's prose style: While those [of Shak- The author of "The Odd Trump" has speare's tragedies] from English and ancient not brightened his fame by his recent novel,

-

Loring has reprinted from Blackwood a quaint little German tale called "Left-Handed Elsa." It is about a young artist, who wins a prize in a competitive exhibition, and is nearly ruined by his success. In his obscurity, he had loved the humble maiden, Elsa; in his greatness, he neglects; when he falls, he finds consolation in her affection.

- We have learned to look with misgiv ings on volumes of verse marked "privately printed; but one has come to us which proves that our policy is not infallible. It is called " Miscellaneous Poems," and on the back of the cover is the word "Moreton." The poems are evidently from a woman's hand,or, we should say more exactly, from a woman's heart. Sad most of them are; but it is a sweet sadness, of regret with the light of hope and trust upon it. The devotional poems are the best, of wonderful depth, yet simple as rhymes for children. Blossoms and Thorns" is really beautiful. Compensation" breathes a childish trust that makes one think of the angels; "Grief, Conscience, Faith" is the tragedy and triumph of many a life. More cheerful is An answer to one

"No more in the living present;"

66

who said the country was dull and lonely," in earlier novels, and introduces some stran- Population and Distribution. In the first a simple, natural, and sweet poem, display-gers whose acquaintance is not desirable. The chapter, he points out very clearly the differing a keen insight into and a fond love of Nat- book is mainly filled with uninteresting par- ence between Distribution and Exchange, givure. Deserted" is full of a proud pain, ticulars about these latter, and with political ing apt and helpful illustrations. The fact yet spirited and strong. And now we must twaddle long drawn out. What might, by a that a large proportion of the wealth is not point out two or three faults. In the fourth stretch of the imagination, be called a love- distributed, while it is exchanged, he believes, Îine from the end of the first poem there is no story, percolates in a thin stream these masses has an important bearing on the question of rhyme, as in the other stanzas. We question of common-place. A man of foreign origin, wages. Unlike most writers on economics, the propriety of the phrase, “Elysian Seas." a greasy Jew," as his prospective father- the author, in treating of the distribution of We have no accounts of seas in Elysium. in-law describes him, of whose antecedents, wealth, distinguishes industrial classes, affirmThe first two lines on page 26 are not in good occupation, and resources nothing is known, ing that it does not follow, as of course, that measure. The first line in the second stanza but who by some means has attained a preca- because capital and labor perform parts disof "A Fragment" is metrically bad; it reads: rious footing in respectable society, falls in tinguishable in production, that they will love with the daughter of a rich barrister, in- receive separate shares in the distributed spires her with an enduring passion for him- product. He divides producers legitimately, while the corresponding line in the other self, and, though distrusted by her father, it seems, into five classes, and shows that finally makes her his wife. He is, in fact, a though the term "wages " is applied to all, it scoundrel and a swindler, suspected by all is strictly appropriate to only two of the five, who know him. The story from the date of the marriage is little more than a record of his villanies and his tragical death by the agency of a locomotive. He is a thoroughly bad and hateful character, and the only fascination in the story is the vague horror one feels in observing the closure of his toils about Emily Wharton. There is not a pleasant character in the book, and the hours demanded for its perusal are not well invested.

stanza is:

"Rigi wrapped in purple shadows."

A more charming volume of poems we have not lately seen. Our copy comes to us with our name inscribed," from the author." We should be glad to know to whom we are indebted for so much pleasure. [Porter & Coates.]

Mr. John Richard Green, author of "A Short History of the English People," has gathered a score of his magazine papers into a volume called " Stray Studies from England and Italy." They treat a great variety of subjects, with, it is hardly necessary to add, clear insight and fulness of information. The first paper is a sketch of Edward Denison, who did noble work in 1867 among the poor of East London. He was a man of strong individuality, which was not incompatible with a warm humanity; and if his opinions as to pauperism were radical, his labors for its amelioration were singularly beneficent. While the volume is, in general effect, instructive and practical, several essays, brimful of sentiment and imagination, contribute a most "Buttercups agreeable element of variety.

go

66

those who are paid out of the income of their employers, and are not employed with any reference to the profits of production (he includes clergymen in this class, touching whom can the assertion in the last clause be truthfully made?), and those who work for hire, who are paid out of the product of their industry, and are employed with reference to the profits of production. The general ground occupied in this chapter is, that the question of wages is a question in the distribution of "Silver Pitchers and other Stories" is wealth, and that, in distribution, industrial the title of Miss Alcott's new book, which is a classes, not functions, should be considered. combination of love-stories, tales for children, The second chapter treats of the purchasewith "Transcendental Wild Oats," which is power of money, and abounds in novel and not to be classified, thrown in. "Silver important information. In our inability to Pitchers" is an account of a temperance re-proceed with an outline of the author's plan, form movement conceived and carried out by we will do the reader the service of quoting a three young girls. The agency is the senti- brief and clear explanation of the fluctuations ment known as love, and the formula is: "Dear of paper-money, a subject of deep present Ned, if you drink any more, I won't let you interest, and not generally understood:home with me." The movement was successful. "Anna's Whim" treats of life at a "A paper-currency, purporting to be rewatering-place, that is, the life of a young deemable in coin, but in fact issued, in reliwoman and a young man. The former had ance on the doctrine of chances, in considerable grown weary of adulation and gayety, and excess of the amount of gold and silver held is a charming product of the author's lighter whom she had known in childhood, arrives, den and violent changes than would be possidesired to lead a worthier life. The youth, for its redemption, will undergo far more sudmood. Of the descriptive papers, "Venice and the two mutually educate one another.ble with a gold and silver currency, or a and Rome" and "The Early History of OxTranscendental Wild Oats" is evidently a paper-currency based, dollar for dollar, on ford" are among the best; and in "Eneas, paraphrase of "The History of the Brook the precious metals. The reason is, that, as a Virgilian Study," the lover of the classics Farm Enterprise," and doleful enough it is. the excess of circulation over the specie basis will find delightful entertainment. Critics of There are half a dozen other stories in the consists of credit, and not of value, it is gov"A Short History" laid great stress on the author's peculiar style. In "Anna's Whim" erned, both in expansion and in contraction, beauty and accuracy of Mr. Green's style. It there is much philosophy. by the condition of credit, and not by the Women," says is generally admirable; but such a sentence as the wise Anna, laws of value, as a value currency would be. have no hope but to be marthis is not creditable to a writer of his pre-ried, and that is soon told; no ideas but dress It costs twice as much labor to raise two thoutensions: "Edward Denison ... was forced, and show, and I'm tired to death of both; no sand ounces of gold from the mine as to raise after quitting the university, to spend some ambition but to outshine their neighbors, and one thousand ounces. It costs no more to time in foreign travel by the delicacy of his I despise that." So Anna abandoned her engrave, print, and sign a thousand two-dollar health." The last six words - we cannot call frivolities, and "sat erect upon a hard rock than a thousand one-dollar bills. Since, then, them a clause on account of the absence of and read Buckle, Mill, and Social Science Re-a paper circulation may be increased without punctuation should follow "forced." [Har-ports with a diligence that appalled the dawd-labor, all such currencies have shown a strong per & Brothers; Lockwood & Brooks.] lers who usually helped her kill time." Frank, tendency to increase under every speculative the lover, quotes inaccurately "put my fortune influence in trade, the currency allowing prices to the touch, and win or lose it all." These to advance, and the advance of prices, in turn, of the old system of licensing would be a good stories, though inferior to the author's earlier quickening the speculative impulse, and thus thing for literature. Surely it would if it writings, will be found pleasant summer read- creating new demands for additional curshould prevent such writers as Anthony Trol-ing. [Roberts Brothers.] lope from afflicting the world with novels of interminable length and only feeble interest. -"The Wages Question," by Prof. FranThis thought has been suggested to us by the cis A. Walker, is a suggestive as well as perusal or, rather, the partial perusal of substantial book. It deals with one of the this writer's latest novel, "The Prime Minis- most important questions of the day, and one ter." The book comes to us from Harper & which the author's education and official exBrothers in a pamphlet of double-col-perience he has been Superintendent of the umned pages, and from Porter & Coates in a United States Census and Chief of the Na12mo of 690 closely-printed pages; to read it tional Bureau of Statistics-have specially is a long day's work, which is neither profit- qualified him to treat. He has not failed, able nor pleasant. Indeed, we think this novel is the most tedious that the author has ever perpetrated. It revives the feeble Duke of Omnium and the vain and wilful Lady Glencora, with divers other personages who figured

We sometimes think that the restoration

66

moreover, to avail himself of the fruit of ear-
lier researches, and has enriched his work by
loans from treatises which are not accessible
to the majority of readers. He divides his
subject under two heads, - Production, and

rency."

Among the specific topics discussed in this volume are: Nominal and Real Cost of Labor; The Degradation of Labor; The Wages Class; The Capitalist Class; Co-operation; Strikes and Unions, &c. Its scope, it will be seen, is very extensive, comprising almost every phase of the general question. It is written with clearness and force and care, and in all respects seems one of the most satisfactory works of its class extant. The author's suggestions in Concluding Remarks deserve the attention of every student of political economy and industrial science, and of every legislator. [Henry Holt & Co.; Lockwood, Brooks, & Co.]